Selling Used Books Online for Extra Cash

May 27, 2010Crystal Koenig

Everybody loves curling up with a good book, but after a while their own collections grow boring and stale. there are only so many times a book can be re-read. Inexpensive books can be easily found and purchased at garage sales, thrift store and library sales. Sometimes, in addition to well-loved paperbacks and board books, literary treasures can be found. for those who wish to translate a love of books into a great source of added income, read on.

Register with an Online Retailer

Websites such as Amazon.com, Alibris.com, and Abebooks.com allow users to sell books online, subtracting a small percentage when they process payments. these websites have a large, existing audience of individuals wishing to purchase inventory for their own book collections, as well as university libraries and large corporations wishing to add to their holdings. Compare each online retailer’s terms and conditions to determine what would work best for the volume and variety of books that are to be sold.

Continually Purchase new Stock

As with any business, a best practice is to buy low and sell high. Inexpensive books can be found in a variety of places, bu they can be most commonly purchased at library book sales, universities wishing to unload unused inventory and thrift stores. Books can also be purchased at used book stores and discount retailers, but since these retailers frequently check the going value of their stock the margins on these books will be much slimmer.

Estate sales and garage sales are also great places to purchase books, especially when an entire personal library can be purchased at once. Since most people are just looking to get rid of the items (rather than making a substantial profit) a reasonably low bid can be offered and negotiated from there.

Become Niche-Friendly

While contemporary fiction is popular, it is also produced en masse and therefore not very valuable for resale. Books that are popular with a set niche of individuals, such as medical texts from reputable publishers, are published in very limited quantities and can command a much higher price at resale. Booksellers specializing in very particular fields can develop a dedicated following amongst collectors and base a large portion of their business to fulfilling requests from a select few.

Meeting and befriending local book vendors, librarians and other players in the local publishing industry will open up new opportunities in the form of advance notice of sales, a heads-up when a new collection arrives, or even the chance to purchase stock ahead of other customers. Volunteering at related book events is a great way to repay these book peers for any favors or assistance they may provide.

Selling Books: a Great Way to Earn Cash and Have Fun

Book lovers can find a great hobby and a way to earn some extra money by selling valuable books online. Continually updating stock and catering to niche markets will make any online bookseller a valuable commodity in the world book market.

Selling Used Books Online for Extra Cash


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